The World Health Organisation (WHO) Member States have advanced negotiations on a proposed pathogen access and benefit-sharing system aimed at supporting faster, more equitable responses to future pandemics.

The organisation said this in a statement following the eighth meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the WHO Pandemic Agreement, which concluded after five days of negotiations in Geneva.

According to the statement, negotiations focused on the Pandemic Agreement’s pathogen access and benefit-sharing annex, with governments and stakeholders working towards an equitable, feasible and implementable system for future pandemics.

It said the annex was expected to facilitate rapid sharing of pathogen materials and sequence information with pandemic potential, alongside equitable access to vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics developed from their use.

The organisation said the WHO Pandemic Agreement, adopted by the World Health Assembly in 2025, provided a framework for strengthening international cooperation on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response worldwide.

It quoted WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, as saying progress made during the meeting brought countries closer to fulfilling commitments made after the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthening preparedness globally.

“We made a promise after COVID-19 that we would not leave the world as vulnerable to the next pandemic as it was to the last,” he said in Geneva.

According to the statement, MrGhebreyesus said finalising the PABS annex willing be essential to strengthening collective defences against future pandemic threats and improving international preparedness for emerging infectious diseases.

“The negotiations come ahead of the Second United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response scheduled for September 25, in New York.

“The meeting is expected to bring together heads of state and government to renew political commitment to preventing, preparing for and responding to future pandemics.

“A political declaration expected to be presented for adoption at the UN meeting calls, among other measures, for the timely completion of the PABS annex,” it quoted Mr Ghebreyesus.

According to the statement, Mr Ghebreyesus said the message from the Geneva negotiations was that protecting future generations will require commitment, cooperation and urgency from countries around the world.

It said Mr Ghebreyesus believed the annex would pave the way for countries to sign and consider ratification of the Pandemic Agreement, thereby strengthening international cooperation against future pandemic threats.

“Ratification of the agreement would further strengthen global coordination and capacities to prevent, prepare for and respond to future pandemics,” it quoted the WHO Director-General as saying.

According to the statement, Ambasador Tovar Nunes of Brazil, Co-Chairperson of the IGWG Bureau, said member states had demonstrated continued commitment to completing the annex through further negotiations.

It quoted Nunes as saying progress achieved during the meeting provided direction for further negotiations and moved countries closer to establishing an equitable and effective system for pathogen access.

“The PABS system is intended to link the sharing of pathogens and related sequence information with the equitable sharing of benefits arising from their use.

“Under the proposed system, countries would seek to ensure that materials and information needed for research and development are shared rapidly, while resulting health products are made available fairly.

“The negotiations therefore address both scientific cooperation and equitable access to pandemic-related medical countermeasures,” it quoted Nunes as saying during the Geneva meeting and negotiations.

The statement said the meeting also resulted in a change to IGWG leadership, with Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari of Oman elected as a vice chairman during the proceedings.

It said Al-Mandhari, Undersecretary for Planning and Health Regulation at Oman’s Ministry of Health, joined Ambassador Vuyile Dlamini of Eswatini and Dr Viroj Tangcharoensathien of Thailand.

It said the latest negotiations formed part of efforts by WHO Member States to establish stronger international arrangements following lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and improve preparedness.

“Countries are expected to continue work on the outstanding elements of the PABS annex in the weeks ahead,” the statement said, outlining the next phase of negotiations.

It said the completion of the annex remained a key step toward operationalising the WHO Pandemic Agreement and strengthening global preparedness for future pandemic threats.

(NAN)